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68
Lambeth Schools, Elder Road, Norwood.—An unusually large
number of deaths from Measles (8) were registered during
January and February, 1903, as having occurred amongst the
infants and children in connection with the Lambeth Schools,
which are under the control of the Lambeth Guardians. Three
deaths from the same disease had been registered during
November and December 1902, making a total of 11 deaths from
Measles during the 4 months November 1902 to February 1903,
during which same period no single death from Measles had
been registered in Norwood District (outside the Schools). The
total number of cases of Measels that occurred during this period
in the Norwood (Poor Law) Schools was 68, and, of these, 11
died, i.e., 16.2 per cent. 60 of the cases were amongst children
under 5 years of age, and, of these, 11 died. A special investigation
into the whole of the circumstances was made, and a
serious state of affairs disclosed, of which full details will be
found in the special Report, which was made to the Guardians
and the Borough Council, and which is reprinted in the Appendix
to this Report (vide pages 39-49). The disease spread from the
Lambeth Schools into the Board Schools of the District, and a
wide spread epidemic throughout Norwood District resulted.
The sanitary arrangements of the Lambeth Schools were found
most unsatisfactory, and the drains have been reconstructed, and
the sanitary appliances remodelled, in consequence, and brought
up to modern requirements, whilst important changes have been
also effected in administration.
The Lambeth experience during 1903 goes to prove that
Measles is specially fatal amongst children living under insanitary
conditions, and spreads rapidly through the medium of
schools, more especially Infants' Departments. School-closure,
or even class-closure, in connection with a rising epidemic is of
the greatest value in stamping it out. The value of such closure
is not so great when the epidemic is already disseminated
throughout a school, or where such epidemic is a declining one.
In connection with the closing of schools on account of epidemic